Credentials include identification cards, driver's licenses, passports, and other documents. Such credentials are formed from credential or card substrates including paper substrates, plastic substrates, cards, and other materials. Such credentials generally include printed information, such as a photo, account numbers, identification numbers, and other personal information. Credentials can also include data that is encoded in a smartcard chip, a magnetic stripe, or a barcode, for example.
Credential production devices include processing devices that process credential substrates by performing at least one processing step in forming a final credential product. Such processes generally include a printing process, a laminating or transfer process, a data reading process, a data writing process, and/or other process used to form the desired credential.
In a transfer or reverse-image printing process, a printing device, such as a thermal or ink jet print head, is used to perform a print operation, in which an image is printed to a surface of a print intermediate. The print intermediate is commonly supported on a backing or carrier layer to form a transfer ribbon. The print intermediate is typically one of two types: a patch laminate, or a fracturable laminate or transfer layer often referred to as a “thin film laminate.” The patch laminate is generally a pre-cut polyester film that has been coated with a thermal adhesive on one side. Thin film laminates or transfer layers are fracturable laminates that are generally formed of a continuous resinous material that is coated onto the polyester carrier or backing layer. The side of the resin material that is not attached to the continuous carrier layer is generally coated with a thermal adhesive which is used to create a bond between the resin and a surface of a substrate.
After the image is printed to the print intermediate, the printed image is registered with the substrate. Next, a laminating device is used to perform a lamination operation, during which the imaged print intermediate is transferred to the surface of the substrate. Typical laminating devices include a heated laminating or transfer roller that activates and presses the adhesive of the print intermediate against the surface of the substrate to bond the print intermediate to the surface. The carrier or backing layer is then removed to complete the transfer printing process leaving the imaged print intermediate attached to the substrate.
During conventional print and transfer operations in a credential production device, it is necessary to move the transfer ribbon relative to the printing device and the laminating device, respectively. This requires transfer and print operations to be performed in series. That is, a print operation cannot be performed during a transfer operation, and a transfer operation cannot be performed during a print operation. This limits the speed at which the printer can complete the transfer printing processes.